Chris' Cinema Center

Saturday, November 17, 2018

British director
Steve McQueen’s last film was the Best Picture winner art film “12 Years a Slave.” It was a power film about survival. Five years
later he brings us another film about survival albeit much more
“commercial” but it still cares an important message this time
about race and gender. Based on the 1980s British miniseries, “Widows” is a fantastic heist drama with equal parts social
commentary and entertainment value. Its outstanding and diverse cast
is captivating to watch, McQueen’s direction is stylish, and the
twisty script is deliberately enthralling. This is perfect mid-budget studio entertainment that is too much a rare breed these
days.

When isn’t Viola
Davis just plain captivating to watch? Every. Single. Time. Here
she’s Veronica the wife of Harry (Liam Neeson) who has recently
died in a botched robbery along with his other partners. His death
hasn’t only left a void in Veronica’s life, but a rather large
debt owed to local crime boss/politician Jamal (Brian Tyree Henry).
Jamal is running for a local alderman position against Jack Mulligan
(Colin Farrell) who has a strong family history in politics. When
Jamal and his brother/henchman Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya threatens
Veronica she devises a plan to pull a job herself made from plans
from the notebook her husband left behind. She recruits the widows of
the other men killed in Harry’s botched job including Linda
(Michelle Rodriguez) and Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) who are also
strapped for cash. It’s sort of “Ocean’s Eight” filtered through the lens of Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee.

Working from a
script written by McQueen and “Gone Girl” scribe Gillian Flynn,
McQueen has crafted a gut punch of a film. It balances its characters
and plot elements remarkably well. The film takes its time
establishing these characters who have found themselves in a
desperate, unfortunate situation. Veronica is a complex woman and as
we learn more about her and her husband and a tragedy from their past
that is a commentary about race relations in our current world it all
feels almost too real. But the film is allowed to breath as the film
focuses on a not too complicated heist (after all these women are
inexperienced civilians). Moments of earned humor thankfully lighten
things up here and there while suspense dominates the film’s final
act with Hans Zimmer’s Dark Knight-like score being the driving
heartbeat. Visually speaking the film has plenty of outstanding
camerawork and long takes from McQueen’s go-to DP Sean Bobbitt.

The performances
here are all topnotch. The ensemble is simply sensational. The three
leading ladies are all fantastic. Along with relative newcomer Cynthia Erivo (who just recently stole “Bad Times at the El Royale” from her more famous
peers) as a babysitter who ends up as the ladies’ getaway driver.
The men sort of have less to do and are more squarely filling out the
Lillian roles rather well. And Kaluuya has an especially frightening
presence a complete 180 turn from his Oscar nominated heroic work in
last year’s “Get Out.”

For a story that
originally came out nearly 30 years ago, “Widows” has a lot to
say about race, gender, and politics. And it’s all wrapped in an
entertaining bow of gunplay and car chases. It was a sheer delight to
sit through in fact, entertaining and artistic to a fault. This is a
film filled with an outstanding ensemble cast that is mesmerizing to
watch; the fact that it features such strong roles for women and
people of color is the icing on top of a perfectly executed cake. GRADE: A

Sunday, November 04, 2018

“Bohemian Rhapsody" may not be the movie everyone wanted but it’s the movie we’ve got and for all intends and
purposes it’s pretty damned good. It’s easy to piss on the film
because of its notorious behind-the-scene troubles. Director Bryan
Singer was fired weeks before the film finished shooting; another
director (Dexter Fletcher) was brought in to complete the film and
see it through post-production. The sour note is the fact that Singer
received sole directing credit. Does that suck? Yes. Should the film
be punished for it? Not really. “Mr. Robot” breakout Rami Malek
stars as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and he’s simply stunning in
the role. It’s as if he’s possessed by Mercury’s spirit; it’s
impossible to take your eyes off him for over two hours. “Bohemian
Rhapsody” isn’t going to win any awards for its originality; it
hits all the standard music biopic notes: rise to stardom, drugs and
alcohol, fall from grace, redemption. Music biopic screenwriting 101. But it does
offer an electric lead performance and a standout ensemble, stunningly realized music sequences, and an emotional pull that I
found strangely comforting. In the end, I was starstruck and film’s
manipulations got me hook, line, and sinker. I loved every minute of
it.

Rami Malek. I hope
his charisma and equally introverted and extroverted vision of rocker
Freddie Mercury will send him all the way to Oscar nomination glory.
He’s transfixing; everything from his goofily over-sized teeth to
his impressive moves, he becomes Mercury. It’s beyond just
imitation. Sure he’s most lip syncing most of the time but it’s
pretty seamless. His bandmates played by Joseph Mazzello (as John
Deacon), Ben Hardy (as Roger Taylor), and Gwilym Lee (as Brian May)
are all great and impressive doubles for their real-life
counterparts. Lucy Boynton is good as the love the Mercury’s life
Mary Austin.

The film is sort of
a “best of” with plenty of well-staged music numbers featuring
all the great Queen songs including a spectacular finale at their
notoriously well-received appearance at the 1985 Live Aid concert.
Sweeping camera moves and spectacular sound design make you feel like
you’re there. Then of course is all the drama that comes with music
biopics. This is obviosly not the film’s strongest element but it
works well enough.

Originally conceived
by Peter Morgan who gave us, ironically, “The Queen,” the film
went through many iterations before settling on the work of
screenwriter Anthony McCarten. The film doesn’t feel overly
controversial in the portrayal of Mercury or his band mates which is
probably because surviving members were involved in the production.
For a big budget studio-baked production the film doesn’t shy away
from the queerness factor. Mercury is portrayed as falling in love
with a woman but it becomes obvious to her, him, and to us as the
film progresses that he’s not being true to himself. The film
handles it well enough. Maybe if the film had been more “indie”
things would have been handled differently but the film doesn’t
“straight wash” Mercury in the slightest. McCarten’s script
even takes liberties with some of the real life events and the
historic timeline for creative and dramatic purposes but this isn’t
a documentary. I don’t even think a narrative film about a real
life person even exists that is 100% accurate.

“Bohemian
Rhapsody” was completely intoxicating from beginning to end. Maybe
it doesn’t quite have the edge that many think is required to be
completely honest about who Mercury was (the film’s PG-13 rating
being proof of that) but did this film need dirty language and
graphic sex just to seem more “realistic” or “true?” Hardly.
It’s not as if it Disneyfies Mercury’s life. I found his outward
struggles with fame and his inward struggles with himself relatable
and ultimately moving. It’s even just impressive to have a studio
backed film about such an iconic queer person. The film is solid
entertainment, emotionally engaging, and unsurprisingly has a killer
soundtrack that completely brings the house down. The extremely
likable Rami Malek commands the screen and makes me want to listen to
Queen nonstop until the end of time. GRADE: B+

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

“Bad Times at the
El Royale” is one of the more original films to come out in a
while. But it has more than its fair share of debt to pay to the
noirish crime films that have come out before it. I’m thinking
basically everything Quentin Tarantino has done in the past twenty
five years. Maybe it’s not one of the most original films to come
out in a while. Ok I’m not being fair. It’s a highly entertaining
and engaging film. But I’m not sure if it’s quite as hip and cool
as it thinks it is. The same goes for writer/director Drew Goddard’s
previous effort “The Cabin in the Woods” which was more of an
insult to horror fans than the tribute it thought it was. “Bad
Times at the El Royale” is a stylish and weird neo-noir crime
thriller with a killer 60s soundtrack, some standout performances,
and a wacky script. But you won’t leave the film overly moved and
you probably won’t be thinking about it days later. The film
certainly knows how to entertain though.

Seven strangers at a
hotel. That’s the premise. The El Royale used to be a swinging hot
spot, sitting right on the line between Nevada and California.
There’s a priest (Jeff Bridges), a lounge singer (Cynthia Erivo), a
traveling salesman (Jon Hamm), a young woman (Dakota Johnson) with a
girl tied up in her trunk (Cailee Spaeny), the concierge (Lewis
Pullman), and the charismatic and perennially shirtless Chris
Hemsworth. They all have reasons to be at this hotel at this
particular moment, and while that feels forced and contrived, you
really just have to go with it.

How much more can be
said plot-wise without getting into spoiler territory? Pretty much
nothing. Money is involved, two-way mirrors, and lots of great Motown
songs. And that brings me to the standout here (don’t worry, Chris
Hemsworth’s writhing abs who appear to be audition for Magic Mike 3
come in second) which is stage actress Cynthia Erivo in one of her
first major film appearances. The only crime she commits is stealing
the entire film with her performance and her amazing voice. She’s
simply mesmerizing. If it were December we’d be talking Oscar.
Everyone gets their moment actually. Johnson is miles away from that
bland “Fifty Shades of Grey” nonsense and Lewis Pullman (son of
Bill) is definitely a rising star. Veterans Hamm and Bridges do fine
work as well.

Oh Drew Goddard why
must we have such a difficult love-hate relationship? You’ve made a
fun, fascinating film. But, like Frankenstein’s monster (hey it’s
almost Halloween), it sort of feels cobbled together from bits and
pieces of other great movies. Don’t get me wrong, the movie is
actually pretty sensational and the clever editing and twists and
turns keep me fully engaged. But you can help but a feel a slight
sense of, we’ve sort of seen all of this before. Picture a "best of" Quentin Tarantino. It’s still leaps
and bounds better than “The Cabin in the Woods.” While that movie
attempted to deconstruct horror films it ended up insulting them
instead; “Bad Times at the El Royale” feels way more of a tribute
than a ripoff even if it doesn’t exactly break the mold. It’s at
least worth checking in. GRADE: B

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Americans are just as fascinated with space movies as they are with space itself. “The Right Stuff” told the story of the first men in space, “Apollo 13” was about the disastrous 1970s moon mission, “Hidden Figures” was about the unseen geniuses behind some of NASA’s successes, and “Gravity” turned space into an intense thriller with nary an alien in sight. And now we orbit around to the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong in “First Man.” The moving and intense film seems like an odd choice for director Damien Chazelle hot off his Oscar win for scrappy musical “La La Land;” so now we have a scrappy space drama. Featuring likable performances from its leads and a surprisingly gritty sense of realism, “First Man” is a fascinating look at the events leading up to Armstrong’s historic moon landing and just how grueling the journey truly was. And to think it was done fifty years ago is simply astonishing.

“First Man” isn’t going to change your life. It has no real social message; it’s a historical document that is meant to engage and entertain. It’s about the theatrical experience and about the importance of the journey since we already know the destination. (I think this is also why his “La La Land” faced such intense backlash, when compared to the simplicity and beauty of “Moonlight” which told a story rarely seen onscreen that could change lives rather than just entertain). Chazelle wipes away the color-infused look of “ La La Land” in favor of a muted palette and really nails the look and feel of something from the 60s in which the film is set. It goes without saying that the space sequences are intense, thrilling, and claustrophobic. When the IMAX screen’s aspect ratio opens up as Armstrong exits his spacecraft on the moon it’s as if we’re Dorothy taking her first look at Oz.

Ryan Gosling is fantastic as Neil Armstrong and Claire Foy is wonderful as his wife Janet. Foy transcends the traditional “concerned wife” type performance and makes it something truly compelling to watch. Armstrong’s journey to the moon wasn’t without tragedy, including a tragic death in the family and the watching some of his fellow astronaut colleagues succumb to their own tragic fates. Oscar-winning screenwriter Josh Singer sort of takes the safe route with his script; there really isn’t that much here that hasn’t been seen or done before, but you have to admire a studio wanting to make a mid-budget spectacle about the race to the moon. This is an “adult drama” that feels like somewhat of a dying species.

Chazelle’s fascinating directorial choices is what really pushes “First Man” out into to orbit away from movie-of-the-week melodrama. His pal Justin Hurwitz’s music score is simply phenomenal and some pieces give the film an eerie quality that is catchy to the ear. Linus Sandgren’s cinematography nails the time period and is generally a technical wonder. Its no wonder all of these men walked away with Oscars for La La Land. And Chazelle’s amazing editor Tom Cross who won for his dizzying work on “Whiplash” works wonders here as well.

“First Man” is a wonderful technical achievement; it’s as close to actually landing on the moon as you or I will ever experience. The entire cast is fantastic and the film’s score, camerawork, and special effects are standouts. Chazelle, working in yet another new genre, makes something grand out of well-worn type of story. Will it change society or the world? Does it feel “important?” Not really. The film continues Hollywood’s obsessive fascination with exploring space and marks yet another marvelous technical achievement from Damien Chazelle who refuses to play things save in any of the gorgeous works of art he’s created. GRADE: A-

Sunday, October 07, 2018

Does the world
really need a fourth iteration of “A Star is Born?” Yes, because
I watched clips of the three earlier films and they all looked god
awful. Especially the one with Babs. Ok fine, the world doesn’t
really need another cliched story about the hopes and dreams
of an aspiring music star. But if you’re going to do it, at least
do it right and Bradly Cooper’s brilliant directorial debut does
just that. I sort of dreaded seeing Lady Gaga’s major feature film
debut because even though I’m a fan, her acting on “American
Horror Story” wasn’t great and her smaller film roles, like
“Machete Kills,” gave her little room to make an actual
impression. But she is simply sensational in “A Star is Born;”
the film is an emotional roller coaster filled with fantastic
performances, inspired music sequences, and an arresting sense of
realism. The film's emotional pull is unobtrusive but relentless.

Nothing in “A Star
is Born” is truly groundbreaking. It’s sort of a well worn story
about fame and stardom but it’s impeccably crafted. Lady Gaga is
Ally who is a waitress by day and drag bar performer by night.
Bradley Cooper is Jack, a drunken fictional rock star whose stardom
appears to be fading fast. Fate bring him into Ally’s drag bar
where he “discovers” her. They hang out, talk, sing a little and
we witness the sparks of some of the most impressive onscreen
chemistry I’ve ever seen in a film. The gruff Jack is smitten with
the appealing young woman and before she knows it he’s dragging her
onstage to sing a duet. This is one of the film’s most engaging
scenes. I got extremely choked up watching Ally’s impressive debut
and Gaga and Cooper’s rendition of the original song “Shallows”
is emotionally fulfilling. You’re literally watching a star being
born.

The film isn’t
supposed to be the story of Lady Gaga’s life but it’s hard to not
make comparisons to what we’ve seen and heard about the singer. The
film’s script (by Eric Roth, Will Fetters and Cooper) takes the
usual turns: Ally becomes a pop sensation while Jack continues to
drown himself in booze. There’s not real shocking revelations or
crazy turns but the film wins you over with its impressive
performances from its leads and supporting players. Andrew Dice Clay
has some really sweet moments as Ally’s single dad and Sam Elliott
is affecting as Jack’s equally gruff older brother. The film’s
original songs are also impressive and the leads' vocals are on point.

Cooper’s direction
here is pretty astonishing (as is his introverted, grizzled
performance). The handheld camerawork never feels forced, the
chemistry between the cast is dynamite, and the actors have never
been better. I’m always flabbergasted by the performances that
come out of a film directed by someone who is also an actor. It’s
no surprise that I was all in on the story of Jack and Ally and the
wrenching drama they both go through. The film doesn’t exactly have
the happiest of endings but the film is filled with enough heart and
humor that we don’t feel bogged down but the darker elements. I’ll
admit, I went a little gaga for this one. GRADE: A

Saturday, October 06, 2018

When has a horror
movie heroine ever had to return from the grave? Laurie Strode just
did. At ten films in, the "Halloween" franchise seemed to be buried
and gone after the travesty that was the truly bizarre and terrible
“Halloween II.” Rob Zombie we thank you for your service but
please go away. This new “Halloween," with its non numerical title, is actually a direct sequel to
John Carpenter’s 1978 classic. We’re supposed to pretend that
parts 2-8 and 1 and 2 never existed, which I’m okay with because they DO still
exist. I’m especially okay with it because this new Halloween,
which marks the 40th anniversary of the original film, is
a splendid return to form for this iconic if wacky horror franchise.
Jamie Lee Curtis gives a fearless performance as final girl (final
grandma?) Laurie Strode and director David Gordon Green imbues the
film with a sense of dread and nostalgia that never distracts from
the fact that we’re actually watching a fantastic story about how
tragedy and loss has affected three generations of women. It’s the
ultimate slasher flick of the #metoo era and it’s also pretty
darned scary.

I promise not to
spoil anything but the film begins with the idea that Michael Myers
never escaped after his attack on Laurie and her friends and was
actually captured and put away for forty years. And if these people
have yet to learn anything it’s that transporting Michael Myers is
always a terrible idea. A couple of podcast journalists (Jefferson
Hall and Rhian Rees) seek to understand the psychotic Myers’
silence. And a reclusive and borderline crazy Laurie Strode (Curtis),
who was Myers original target after he escaped from a mental
institution 40 years earlier, constantly warns her daughter Karen
(Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) to be prepared
for anything should Myers ever escape again. And he does. Would we
even want to see a movie in which Michael Myers doesn’t escape from
a mental institution?

“Halloween” is
an impressive horror debut for Gordon Green who has a career filled
will stoner comedies and indie dramas. His last film also featured
themes of PTSD in his Boston bombing drama “Stronger.” In a way
it almost makes sense. At least he’s made an atmospheric and scary
film even if it can’t hold a candle to what Carpenter was able to
accomplish in his original film. It is however, arguably the best
film in the series since the 1978 film. Carpenter has returned to
score the film giving a mix of new and returning themes. The script
features strong characters though there may be too many characters to
follow so sometimes it feels like some people are forgotten about.
You’d almost expect Curtis’ role to be minor, almost cameo-like,
but she really does carry most of the film. Her granddaughter Allyson
and her friends give the film a sense of the teen vibe that these
slasher films as known for. And lastly the film is way more graphic
and the body count is way higher. That makes the film feel a tad
disjointed from the 1978 film in terms of continuity since Michael
Myers “only” killed five people back in the day but I guess 40
years of pent up rage will do that to a psychopath.

“Halloween” is a
fun nostalgia trip (with plenty of fun nods and references to most of
the other other films in the series) that is scary and atmospheric.
The performances are very good considering the harsh criticisms this
subgenre usually receives and it’s really difficult to find any
major fault in the smart script (written by Gordon Green, Danny
McBride, and Jeff Fradley). The folks at Blumhouse really know what
they’re doing when it comes to producing quality horror films and
it’s nice to know that Michael and Laurie have come home at last. GRADE: A-

Monday, September 10, 2018

Let’s begin with
the positives. As weird as it may be, it’s cool that there’s even
a “Conjuring Universe.” “The Nun” adds little to a series
that has seen as many lows as highs. The film, the fifth in this
shared cinematic universe, is arguably the weakest and most
offensively the least scary and is a constant reminder at how
well-made the main Conjuring films truly are. Taking place at a
remote convent in Romania in the 1950s “The Nun” follows a young
novitiate and a seasoned priest who investigate the mysterious
circumstances surrounding another nun’s suicide. After a somewhat
silly but halfway decent opening, we’re left with uninteresting
characters investigating an uninteresting case and wish that somehow
Ed and Lorraine Warren will show up to make things more entertaining.
Alas it’s not quite meant to be.

In “The Conjuring 2” we learn about an evil demon known as Valak who takes the form
of a creepy nun. This figures heavily into the film’s plot so of
course it seemed obvious to be next secondary character to receive
the spinoff treatment. However, nothing about this creepy nun is ever
as effective or scary in “The Nun.” In an admittedly clever bit
of casting, Taissa Farmiga (The Conjuring’s Vera Farmiga’s
younger sister) plays Sister Irene and she’s fine in the thankless
role. Demian Bichir is Father Burke who accompanies the young woman
to help solve the mystery of the suicidal nun. Then there’s the
farm hand/delivery guy who discovered the dead nun “Frenchie”
(Jonas Bloquet) who seems to be in a different film altogether.
Desperate to add a bit of humor to the dire, too serious film,
Bloquet is charming but even his baby blues can’t save this turkey.

Things go bump in
the night. There are weird visions. Father Burke ends up buried
alive. Frenchie is attacked by a demonic entity. It’s all dull and
boring until “the blood of Jesus Christ” figures into the plot
and then it’s just ridiculous. The only remotely scary part in the
entire movie was much scarier in the theatrical trailer. There’s
actually nothing particularly awful about Corin Hardy’s film it’s
just that it’s resoundingly forgettable and unexciting. The script,
unsurprisingly comes from Gary Dauberman who also wrote "Annabelle" and "Annabelle: Creation" which are both fine in their own ways, but highly flawed. His surprising credit on “It” is comforted
by the fact that two others are credited on that one.

It’s a fact that
the main Conjuring films are where it really counts in this
“cinematic universe.” Less seasoned horror enthusiasts might jump
here and there but “The Nun” offers very little to hardcore fans
of the genre or anyone else who is familiar with films about things
that go bump in the night. The only real benefit of the “The Nun”
was having the idea to watch “Sister Act” upon my arrival at
home. GRADE: C

Friday, August 17, 2018

There is no arguing
that Spike Lee is one of the most provocative and inventive directors
to come out of the late 80s/early 90s indie film scene. Sure some of
his films are “controversial” but he’s making more than sheer
entertainment. He has a distinct voice and I appreciate that. The
latter half of his career hasn’t been as successful as some of his
great early works but he’s back with the fantastic
“BlacKkKlansman.” Only Spike Lee could get away with having KKK
in his movie title. And only Spike Lee could tell the outrageous true
story of a Black police officer successfully infiltrating a local
chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. It’s the type of story that can only
be based on fact otherwise no one would ever buy it. This brilliant
filmmaker has returned to his provocateur roots and has fashioned a
heartbreaking, but humorous look at racism in small town 70s America
and the implications that it has on modern society.

America was and
continues to be a racist nation. We’re a country that was founded
on racist ideals. Sure our Declaration of Independence says that “all
men are created equal” but that has been a fallacy for centuries.
To this day certain groups of people are still trying to get the
rights and privileges of others. And this is extremely relevant to
the movie-going experience that “BlacKkKlansman” provides.

Set in the early
1970s, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first Black man
hired to the Colorado Springs Police Department. He goes undercover
at Black Student Union rally where he meets a riled up local woman
named Patrice (Laura Harrier). Ron finds a recruiting ad for the KKK
and decides to call them up. He pretends to be white and arranges to
meet Walter (Ryan Eggold) the head of the group. Ron sends his white,
Jewish co-worker Flip (Adam Driver) to pose as Ron and meet the
group. As you could imagine, these people are the epitome of evil
hatred. You will hear racial slurs up the wazoo and at some point
you’ll literally become numb to them. Eventually Flip and Ron
suspect the group may be planning some kind of attack.

To say the film is
enthralling is an understatement. First of all, from a filmmaking
perspective, the film has a delightfully grungy 70s vibe. The music
from Spike regular Terrance Blanchard is bluesy and fun. Lee employs
some of his fun camera trickery that was so groundbreaking early in
his career and remains a significant part of his oeuvre. The film’s
script is arguably much more “commercial” than many of Lee’s
previous films. It feels like a film that those unfamiliar with the
auteur could easily climb on board with. That’s probably because
the film started from a spec script from Charlie Wachtel and David
Rabinowitz. And then Spike put his fingerprint all over it. So the
film works as a thrilling police procedural and a provoking statement
about American racism and hate. In other words, it’s a fascinating
thriller with something important to say.

Everything is
masterful in “BlacKkKlansman” including the amazing performances.
If I didn’t know any better I would of thought Spike found real
white supremacists to play themselves. These characters are truly
vile and disgusting and he rightfully portrays them that way because
they are. The actors really make them feel like real people
especially Jasper Pääkkönen who creates one of the year’s truly
scariest villains.

“BlacKkKlansman”
is a transcendent film. It’s important, it’s entertaining, it’s
incendiary. It makes you sad about where this country came from and
ends in a way that makes the film shocking relevant today. It will
make you laugh and it will break your heart. The entire cast is
outstanding and Spike Lee has truly made something special that will
be remembered for quite some time. It’s a truly rewarding and
visceral experience. GRADE: A

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Somehow
comedian/filmmaker Bo Burnham, in his feature film directorial debut,
has managed to put his audience in the shoes of a 13 year-old girl.
It’s equal parts uncomfortable and relatable and is a testament to
the power of great filmmaking. Employing a surprisingly fun visual
style, interesting music choices including an offbeat score, the
contemporary “Eighth Grade” manages to be one of the most
fascinating films of the year about the mundanity of life and the
repugnance of adolescence. Elsie Fisher gives a fearless performance
in the central role of an introverted girl trying to get through the
final days of eighth grade while dealing with her social awkwardness.
The film takes an interesting look at the role of social media and
finds unconventional ways to turn ordinary situations into gripping
drama and uncomfortable comedy.

Kayla (Fisher) is an
average, quiet 14th year old. Though like kids today, they
have to grow up in the presensce of practically being connected to
the internet all day long. As an adult it’s convenient. As a child
enter ting adolescence I’d have to imagine it would horrible. Sure
it’s nice to be able to stick your nose into your phone, play games
and music at the touch of a button but kids can be cruel. Thankfully,
the film doesn’t go the route of “kids are assholes online” and
finds other ways to make clever use of smart devices and social
media. Kayla makes online videos where she gives advice on how to be
confidence and be cool. These short videos sort of set up how Kayla
rarely follows her own advice and puts out a personal she really only
wishes she could have.

So how exactly is a
film about a 13 year-old girl making YouTube videos all that special?
Burnham makes some fascinating, almos avant-garde directorial
choices. The way his camera moves, what it selects to show, etc
really helps to sell that we’re seeing things fom Kayla’s
point-of-view. At several moments in the film the camera dares to
slowly gaze Kayla’s crush Aiden (Luke Prael) and we’re forced to
literally identify with our main character. When Kayla gets invited
to a popular girl’s pool party because the girl’s mother forced
her to, Burbham shoots the sequence as if we’re watching a
thriller. You can literally feel the anxiety and tension. And Anna
Meredith’s synthesized music score is an unconventional knockout
that heightens everything.

The film certainly
isn’t the first film to tell the story of a young person or the
anxieties of growing up, but “Eighth Grade” feels extremely
modern and of its time. Todd Solondz has made several colorful movies
about the terror of adolescence but his films are almost always a bit
wacky. Then there’s something like “Boyhood” which was a
different kind of experiment, and this film isn’t dissimilar,
though “Boyhood” relied too heavily on young actors who felt a
bit amateurish. The performances in “Eighth Grade” are sublime
and realistic. Josh Hamilton, easily the most recognizable person in
the cast, is perfect as Kayla’s awkward single dad who tries
everything to communicate with his quiet daughter.

“Eighth Grade”
will certainly take you back to a certain age. I gather for most
people it’ll most likely bring up BAD memories but the movie has
plenty of humor to help balance the terrors many faced as middle
school ended. Bo Burnham and his leading lady are really great finds
and this will hopefully lead to even more extraordinary work. I’m
truly in awe how everyone involved took such a simple, seemingly
insignificant story, for what I assume was made rather cheaply, look
and feel so innovative. The film doesn’t judge it’s young
characters; they’re people too even if they spend most of their
time “plugged-in.” It’s a truly rewarding experience; “Eighth
Grade” passes with flying colors. GRADE: A

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Let’s get to the
point: “The Meg” is a middle-tier shark movie. If “Jaws” is
the epitome of shark movie greatness, and “Jaws the Revenge” is
the bottom of the barrel, then “The Meg” is about a “Jaws III.”
In other words, it’s not quite so-bad-it’s-good, and it’s not
even so-bad-it’s-bad. But is there anything worse than a sort of
middle of the road shark movie? To be fair, there is at least half of
a good shark movie in “The Meg.” The film’s second half is
filled with some pretty fun in-jokes and enough ridiculous moments to
make it worth it, but it’s sort of a slog to get through. It
doesn’t help that everything about the film, from its visual
style to its bland cast and uninteresting story, is merely mediocre. The film feels like
it isn't ok with just playing it safe but it’s too afraid to go too over-the-top.

Jason Statham plays
a disgraced underwater rescuer and now he’s retired, drinking beers
somewhere in Thailand. And we have to sit there for nearly half the
movie before anything exciting happens involving a giant prehistoric
shark. Sure, “Jaws” took an hour to show the shark but at least
everything leading up to that moment was scary, funny, and/or
interesting. Not that one should be comparing “The Meg” to “Jaws”
obviously. Though there are a few fun references to that horror
classic.

Like “Deep Blue
Sea” this flick is set mostly in and around an underwater research
facility in the middle of the ocean. The scientists are trying to
breach the bottom of the Mariana Trench; it turns out it’s not
actually the ocean floor and a layer of gases has actually sealed off
a whole other part of the ocean. Cue the prehistoric maneater. Not
quite. First we have to briefly deal with a giant squid that attacks
oceanographer Suyin’s (Li Bingbing) diving vessel and her limited
emotional range doesn’t quite realistically depict how one might
react if they were about to be crushed to death by a giant squid on
the bottom of the ocean. THEN the shark obviously shows up to kills
the squid and saves her. Eventually the shark escapes the bottom of
the trench and for some reason sticks around in the middle of the
ocean when it can go any damn well place it pleases.

Eventually the shark
tires of the boring characters we’ve been introduced to and makes
its way to a coastal Chinese resort where there’s literally
hundreds of people bathing and swimming. The PG-13 rating limits the
carnage, though that’s not really too much of an issue here. It’d
just be nicer if there was even a modicum of suspense or tension but
the sequence is fun enough. What can we really expect from the
director of “While You Were Sleeping?” We finally get a couple
genuinely clever and funny nods to “Jaws” essentially reenacted
with Asian characters. In fact, the entire film (which was a
Chinese-American co-production) feels as if it was made for an
entirely different audience.

“The Meg” was
one of the movies I was looking forward to the most this summer. I’m
a sucker for a killer fish movie, but the movie has a hard time
distinguishing between whether it wants to be silly or whether it
wants to be serious. A movie like the brilliantly over-the-top “Piranha”
remake knew exactly what it was doing. At least it’s better than
last years snooze-fest “47 Meters Down.” The forced romance
between Statham and Bingbing is terrible and fluffy (not to mention the forced, unearned sentimentality) and the film
takes way too long to get to the good stuff. And Rainn Wilson feels
wasted in yet another meaningless role. Chalk this one up as a meg-a
disappointment. GRADE: C+

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Impossible indeed.
The “Mission Impossible” films, paradoxically, just get better
with each progressive entry. Sure, the films sometimes take a more
dense script route, weaving in death-defying stunts with talky scenes
of spy jargon and exposition but the plot is just an excuse for truly
magnificent camera work. It’s part 6 people, we basically want to
see Tom Cruise ride a rocket to the moon. Like ON the actual rocket.
Taking a cue from the big budget, practical stunts of Christopher
Nolan’s best work and the recent James Bond entries, “Mission:
Impossible-Fallout” tries to outdo itself by featuring some truly
jaw-dropping set pieces that
have to be seen to be believed. Let's not forget the almost unbearable tension as we watch the actors who are really there,
hanging off helicopters and cliffs, selling the crap out of it. And
I’m buying it.

This sixth entry in
the increasingly insane spy thriller series, take a cue from real
life and as it’s title suggests introduces NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
Plutonium is such a hot commodity in films after all it’s what gave
the DeLorean power in “Back to the Future.” So obviously, the
leftover terrorists from the dismantled, evil “Syndicate” from
“Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation”, want their hands on the
stuff. These “Apostles” as they’re referred to are the prime
targets for our hero Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team of Benji
(Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames). Returning from the fifth film
is former MI6 agent Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson). There’s a new director
at the CIA played by new-to-the-franchise Angela Bassett. Of topic,
does Angela Bassett ever age? But I digress. She instructs a member
of the CIA’s Special Activities Division to follow along with Hunt
and his team. He’s Henry Cavill, and even though the guy doesn’t
have the most charisma in the world, he has found a nice role
opposite the 100-wattage bulb that is Tom Cruise.

But enough about
plot and stuff. This movie has enough car chases and helicopter
chases, and HALO jump scenes, and bathroom fist fights to fill an
entire action franchise. It’s shot and edited with precision.
Director Christopher McQuarrie (who also scripted) returns from his
first time up at bat with “Rogue Nation” and it’s a sheer
delight to see what crazy stuff he’s able to pull off this time. He
captures the action brilliantly; how cinematographer Rob Hardy was
able to capture what he did (using a mix of digital and actual film)
is simply crazy. The final act of the film, which I will not discuss
whatsoever, is also an example of perfectly calibrated suspense. You
don’t really believe for a minute that anything horrible is going to
happy to any of our heroes and yet the nail-biting finale is so
utterly intense you may need to have your cardiologist on standby.
Lorne Balfe’s pulse-pounding score is not unlike Hans Zimmer’s
Dark Knight music and it really works here; it’s not surprising
that the two composers have collaborated on several occasions.

“Mission:
Impossible-Fallout” is an outstanding thriller from beginning to
end, not to mention suave and cool. Even if the story feels a bit
dense, you can easily enjoy the action set pieces without much prior
knowledge of the earlier entries and there’s plenty of good stuff
for those who have been sticking around since the 90s. Cruise is as
likable as ever—the entire cast is—and you won’t be able to
take your eyes off the screen or release your hands from the arm
rest. Bring on lucky entry number seven. GRADE: A

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Since finally
winning her elusive third Oscar Meryl Streep probably had enough of
Mamma Mia! Yes, a majority of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Ago is, in fact,
Streepless but it’s ok because the new cast is really game for a
campy fun time. The first “Mamma Mia!” was a fun and silly
jukebox musical about a girl trying to find the identity of her
father before her fairytale Greek isle wedding. Everyone saw it
because they love either love ABBA music and enjoyed the Broadway
musical, or just because looked fun and silly. Released almost ten years to
the day as the first film, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is a
surprisingly well-made musical that features more impressively staged
musical numbers, better singing, and thankfully lacks the sappy
corniness that zapped the first film of pure greatness. Sure, this
Godfather Part II-like prequel/sequel isn’t precisely necessary and
its story is yet again strung around (even more) obscure ABBA songs
but the cast is uniformly strong and everyone seems to be having a
fun time. And then there’s Cher who looks like she just stopped by to pick
up a paycheck.

Odds are you know
whether or not you’re going to like “Mamma Mia! Here We Go
Again.” It does offer everything you enjoyed about the first film
but this time there’s a new person at the helm. That would be
director Ol Parker who imbues the film with a cinematic quality that
was severely lacking the first time around. The first film was
clunky, corny, and offered cringe-worthy directorial choices that
were better left for the stage. This time the world of Mamma Mia is
opened up and feels more like a film than the stagey original.

And since everyone
cares about the plot of an ABBA jukebox musical here it is. This time
around Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is getting ready for the grand
re-opening of the Greek hotel she took over from her mother Donna. It
turns out Streep’s character has previously passed away the year
before. The real drama comes in the form of events in the past where
we follow a young Donna in 1979 through her Big Fat European
Vacation. It is here where she meets Harry, Sam, and Bill who are all
Sophie’s possible fathers.

There’s not really
much more to say and there’s hardly any real tension but the songs
are performed with enthusiasm and that’s really what matters. The
younger actors are generally pretty sensational in capturing the
youthful versions of the cast members we’ve come to know so well.
Lily James really captures Streep’s character’s essence and has
an outstanding voice; she makes for an extremely likable lead. The
same can be said for her best friends Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn) and
Rosie (Alexa Davies) who are fantastic stand-ins for Christine
Baranski and Julie Walters respectively. The casting team also work
wonders with the hunky threesome known as Harry (Hugh Skinner), Bill
(Josh Dylan), and Sam (Jeremey Irvine).

In conclusion, the
songs here are good; they even reuse some of the more popular tracks
from the first film. After all you can’t have a movie called Mamma
Mia and not sing the title tune. Even the lesser known songs will
likely become earworms after several spins on the soundtrack. You
can’t fight the power of ABBA’s absolutely catchy discography.
The film is overall tighter and more confident than its predecessor
taking on an “ambitious” dual plot structure even if the present
day scenes take on a more melancholy tone than the more fun flashback
sequences. The script from Parker (and Catherine Johnson and Richard
Curtis who have story credits) works well enough if somewhat less
focused this time around.

Oh wait how could I
not mention Cher? The fact that she’s practically shoe-horned in at
the end is unsurprising since her casting feels like a complete stunt
to begin with. Let’s forget the fact that Cher is only 3 years
older than Streep in real life and she’s playing her mother, but
her rendition of Fernando is great even if her sound doesn’t quite
fit in with everything we’ve heard previously. I guess ten minutes
of Cher is supposed to make up for a practically Streepless film but
at least the film has an ambitious quality that is completely
charming. Bottom line? Your mom is gonna love this thing. GRADE: B+In lieu of the underwhelming trailer, here's the first musical number from the film, "When I Kissed the Teacher:"

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Horror films are
usually a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. And the
really good ones reflect the time they were made. If I’ve learned
anything from the widely popular Purge franchise, is that this
country is seriously messed up. The Purge series get an upgrade in
the form of Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei which makes me wonder what bet
she lost to end up here. That’s no knock at the “My Cousin Vinny”
and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” actress– she’s fine here – but
she’s not given much to do except glare at computer monitors.
Otherwise the generally unknown cast is good; the acting is above
average for this genre. The film, like its predecessors, isn’t so
much horror as it is some kind of dystopian action thriller with
the third act basically functioning as a siege film. The real horror comes
from the realization that maybe our country is headed in the
direction that these films present.

The Purge films are
enjoyable for what they are. The problem is the premise is so
goddamned smart but the films aren’t necessarily as smart as they
think they are. I believe in writer/director James DeMonaco who
serves on as screenwriter on this fourth entry. Stepping into the
director’s chair is Gerald McMurray and some fresh blood is
welcome. He doesn’t do much different from what DeMonaco has
already established and the film’s script is as
on-the-nose-political as it ever has been. Everyone by now knows that
the annual Purge is basically a way for rich Americans to help get rid of the poor population. Rich people can afford to either barricade
themselves indoors or can even afford to buy poor people to murder.

“The First Purge”
gives us a little glimpse into how this controversial, essentially racist American
tradition came to be. Though it only really skims the surface and
that’s where it’s a tad disappointing. A politician from a new
political party not unlike say, the “Tea Party,” is elected
president and someone gets the idea to let Americans let out their
frustrations for one night during a 12 hour period in which all crime
is legal. Staten Island is chosen for the experiment, which at this
point, doesn’t actually have a name. Residents are free to leave
during the experiment but those who choose to stay will be tracked
and given $5,000 as compensation. Overseeing things are New Founding
Fathers of America members Dr. May Updale (Tomei) and Chief of Staff
Arlo Sabian (Patch Darragh). Meanwhile residents of the city include
various minorities and low income individuals including a sister and
brother and his drug lord.

While like the other
films, the premise is fascinating, the execution leaves something to
be desired. It’s hard to care about most of these people since we
don’t really know them. Lex Scott Davis is good as the sympathetic
Nya and Y’lan Noel is good as Dmitiri the drug lord with the heart
of gold. But most of these actors don’t have much to do except run
around and look scared. Which leads to the other main problem, the
film isn’t very scary. The premise is scarier than anything
actually seen on screen. The film sort of won me over in its final
act in which Dmitri must rescue those we’ve come to somewhat know
in their apartment building.

Who knows where this
franchise can really go from here. Except to television of course,
which the film features in its closing credits. It makes sense
because really these films feel like lost episodes of “Black
Mirror” that aren’t executed quite as smoothly. “The First
Purge” is fine for fans of the franchise but I don’t know how
many new fans will rally behind this fourth entry. It’s fun to see
the origins of the Purge but offers little in the way of surprises,
suspense, or interesting characters. GRADE: B-

Sunday, July 08, 2018

It turns out
“Ant-Man” was exactly what the Marvel Cinematic Universe needed:
an enjoyable lighthearted heaping of fun. It was first MCU film
released after “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and it was a refreshing
palette cleanser. It turns out, its own sequel “Ant-Man & the
Wasp” functions in much the same way after the truly astonishing
but intense experience that was “Avengers: Infinity War.” Comedy
is always the best medicine and there’s no better proof of that
than the hilariously charming antics of Paul Rudd as Ant-Man. Set
after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” this sequel
finds our hero Scott Lang under house arrest. Of course that won’t
stop him from helping rescue Hank Pym’s wife from the “quantum
realm.” It’s all lighthearted fun and the perfect antidote to the
ten years of MCU films that continue to be entertaining if
emotionally draining.

“Ant-Man” was a
comedic heist film essentially. “Ant-Man & the Wasp” isn’t
quite as cut and dry; I’d more of a rescue mission film but not
quite as focused story-wise as its predecessor. Our hapless hero
Scott Lang (Rudd) having attempted to leave his life of crime behind
him, finds himself with an ankle bracelet for violating the Sokovia
Accords in “Civil War.” At least now his daughter and ex-wife
have forgiven him so there’s no family drama there. The family
drama this time consists of Hank Pym (Michael Douglass) experimenting
with the possibility of entering into the subatomic “quantum realm”
to rescue his wife Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) who went subatomic
decades earlier and was assumed dead. But since Scott went subatomic
and returned unharmed it seems likely that Janet could possibly still
be alive. Is it preposterous? Oh my yes. Is it entertaining as hell?
You bet.

And let’s not forget Scott’s new partner “The Wasp” played by
Evangeline Lilly in one of her most charming performances yet. As
Hank’s daughter Hope, Lilly imbues the film with warmth and emotion
that has somewhat eluded the actress up to this point. She shares
incredible chemistry with Rudd and her onscreen father as well. These
people are so likable that their charm really carries the film. And I
haven’t even mentioned Michael Peña as Scott’s former prison
buddy who has some really great comedic moments here. The comedy
works so well in these films because director Peyton Reed made films
like “Yes Man” and “Bring It On.” Sure, not exactly comedy
treasures, but the guy knows what he’s doing. The action scenes are
gripping, the shrinking and growing mechanics are clever, and the
humor is funny.

Of course we all
know a super hero movie is nothing without a decent villain. Here we
get a mysterious figure in a white costume not unlike Lang’s
shrinking Ant-Man getup, who is molecularly instable and can walk
through objects, including walls. This “Ghost” (played by “Ready
Player One’s” Hannah John-Kamen) adds a fun mystery to
proceedings and the character’s story arch is unpredictable and
interesting. There are other appearances from Laurence Fishburne and
Walton Goggins that don’t add too much to the proceedings.

“Ant-Man & the
Wasp” feels almost borderline insignificant compared to the other
strong MCU efforts this year “Black Panther” and “Avengers:
Infinity War” but it’s no less enjoyable or well-made. You can
easily watch the Ant-Man films without the baggage of ten years of
films to wade through and be just as entertained. And the whimsical
music themes from Christophe Beck is among the MCU’s most
memorable. These films really remind me of how fun the Sam Raimi
Spider-Man films were to watch when they first came out. Bright,
colorful, fun and oozing with charm and humor. GRADE: B+

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About Me

"Hello, Clarice." Welcome to my film review blog. I've been reviewing theatrical movies since 2005. In addition to writing movie reviews (not to mention best of year lists, Oscar predictions, and other fun movie-related lists) I have had reviews and articles published on DarkHorizons.com and at WhatCulture.com. I've also achieved my longtime dream of appearing on RottenTomatoes.com. My favorite film genre is horror though I have rather eclectic cinematic tastes. I can easily go from watching artsy stuff like Under the Skin to stupid action stuff like Transformers (but please dear lord make them stop). I also enjoy running, cooking, and eating the spiciest foods I can find.